Christmas 2011

Mark and I have been so busy working at UPS during this Christmas season. We did manage to get a tree, decorate it and still saw Santa while we were working all these crazy hours. Here are a few pictures of us at the Enchanted Forest seeing Santa. Summer even had a list for Connor to get some things from Santa. So sweet!!!












Here are a few of us getting our tree and it being decorated for Christmas.






So wish Connor was here with us this Christmas. I know he will be here next Christmas and that makes me smile!!! I can't wait for my two kids come running down the stairs on Christmas morning and jumping in our beds to wake us up. That is going to be so much fun!!!

We had a great Christmas Eve Service at Hope Church then we came to make sugar cookies. Here are a few pictures of us on Christmas Eve making sugar cookies for Santa and the rest of the family.













I love making sugar cookies during Christmas. I love being together as a family especially during the Holidays. I love having the tree lit at night, drinking a little eggnog and watching Christmas shows!!

Here are a few pictures of Christmas morning - it was much fun and I can't wait for next year when Connor will be here too.










I am so happy that all of my family members got Connor something for Christmas except one. I was not excepting that Connor would get what he did since he is not home yet, but so blessed that he has some things too. He is still in an orphanage in Ethiopia. He is getting good care in the orphanage that he is in, but I want him home with us. I want to be his mommy. I want to be the one hugging him. I want to be the one kissing him when he falls down. I want to be the one praying with him before bedtime. I want to be the one tucking him in at night. I want to be the one he calls in the middle of the night. Just like I am with Summer I want to be his mommy now and always!!!!!

On December 26 it is my sister's birthday. Mark and I decided to celebrate her birthday this year by taking my side to an Ethiopian restaurant called Abyssinia. We thought it would help me too because Connor is not here yet, but by eating there it felt like we were a little closer to him. Weird huh? It worked though!! Abyssinia was so good. We are going to go once a month. I really liked it and it was a great experience for us. However, Summer did not like it too much, but she did try it. Here are a few pictures of the restaurant.











The food- so good!!!


My mom, Kathza, and Mark


Summer not really sure about this.



We had a great Christmas weekend!! I know next year will be filled with more blessings and I can not wait!!! We have fun with Santa, toys, and good food, but we do not need to forget that Jesus is the most important thing about Christmas and every day. We all need to have a personal relationship with Him. Without Jesus I am nothing!! With Jesus I can accomplish anything!! Thank you Lord for your Son, Happy Birthday Jesus!!!




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Summer's 7th Birthday Party

We celebrated Summer's 7th birthday party last week at Pump It Up. Many of her classmates came. We all had so much fun!! I can not believe that Summer is already seven years old. Where has the time gone? I am so blessed to be her mommy. I love her so much!! Happy birthday to my sweet girl! Here are a few pictures of her party.













Well, no news on a court date yet. Mark and I were hoping that our son would be home by the time Summer turned seven years old. That did not happen. All we can do is put our trust in God and wait for His timing. I am so thankful to have a picture of our little guy.( I wish I could share the pictures, but I can not until we pass court ). I hope we hear something soon. Please keep us in your prayers while we wait. Please pray for our son, his birth family, and for us to be prepared for anything that could stand in our way. Mark and I have had many things try to keep us down, but then God lifts us up again!!!


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Testing

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REFERRAL!!!!

I haven't written in our blog for some time now. I just felt it was better to wait on a referral before I wrote again. I was getting so frustrated that I just needed to step away for a bit. Guess what??

REFERRAL!!!!!!

Our social worker called me on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 for a 13 month old little boy!!! She asked, " What I was doing?" then she said "well, there is a little boy that is 13 months old." I was saying, "Yes, so?" then she said, "this is your referral." I just started crying!! I totally lost it with her on the phone. I was so happy, but still could not believe her that it was happening to US!!! Finally, it is happening to us. I dreamed of this day and it was SO much sweeter than I ever thought it would be.

We are so excited and in shock!! I have been so busy since the referral trying to make sure that he was healthy to adopt. Yes, he is. He is just really small, but he will gain the weight once he joins our family! Both sides of our family like to eat - so he will be fine. HAHA!!! I can't wait until I can post some pictures of Connor, but we have to pass court first.

Just when I could not go any long God showed up and gave us the referral of our little boy that we have been praying for SO long. God is SO good!!! I am so blessed to have a picture of his cute little face before the holidays. We will travel some where between 3-5 months. I am not going to rush this. I am just so happy to finally see what our son looks like!! He is so much better than I could have pictured!!
I can't wait to meet him and hold him for the first time!! What a great day that will be!!!

Maybe by the summertime we will be a family of FOUR!!!

Please keep praying for us while we wait to travel. Thanks

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Got our I-171H Approval Letter

Today Mark and I received our I-171H approval letter in the mail. I did not think we would get it this fast. We were just finger printed on Monday to get them renewed. I am so happy that we got the letter today. Tomorrow I am going to take it by Bethany's office and get them to fax it to the Ethiopian team.

Tomorrow we will be waiting six months since our dossier was sent to Ethiopia. I am not going to give up on this adoption. At times you just want to throw in the towel. Then there are other times where you get SO excited that you want to go to one of the biggest mountains and yell the good news to everyone!!! Today was one of those days. Maybe, later on I will be yelling we have a picture of our little prince!

Please keep praying for us while we wait for his picture.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above"- James 1:17



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Renewed Finger Prints

Today Mark and I had to renew our finger prints for the USCIS since it has been 18 months. Our finger prints expire after 18 months. I can't believe it has already been 18 months since our finger prints. It had been almost 26 months of waiting for a referral. I don't understand why it has to take so long before you can get a referral - picture of our little boy. I am SO ready to see his precious face!!! I really want to know how old he is going to be, his name, and see what he looks like. I am praying that we will find out soon about our son. I just want to know all about him. I will have to be more patient while I am waiting. Trying really hard too.

However, I am so glad we have Summer as my daughter. She is such a sweet girl who loves to dress up in anything that looks like a princess. So today Summer went with us to get finger printed and then we went to American Cafe. It was so good!! Mark and I have no more time off work until after the first of the year so I hope this is it with the adoption stuff until then.

We have been so busy lately with getting Summer back to school. She is in first grade this year. Here are a couple of pictures of Summer on the first day of school.











I am praying that we will get a referral of her little brother soon. The more we wait the older she gets and the more we question if this is what God really wanted us to do. I believe He does, but sometimes you doubt.

This past weekend was Mark's 39 birthday party at his parents house. Man, we are getting old!! HAHA!!







I am so blessed to have the family that God has given me. I am so truly blessed more than words can say. Sometimes, I get down and frustrated about the adoption, but that does not mean I am not thankful for what I do have. Everything that I have I know is a blessing from God. God is good!!!

Please keep praying for our family while we wait on a referral.
So ready to see our little prince.

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Day At the Zoo 2011

Mark and I decided to take Summer for a fun filled day at the zoo. We have not received a referral yet and we really do not know when we will. Mark is upset because we still have no concrete answers. I am upset because I want my Connor home with us. Summer just wants a little brother to do things with. She doesn't understand why it has to take so long before he joins our family. She says, " Lets go get him now!" We were all in a funk until we went to the zoo.

Here we are just inside of the zoo.







While we were at the zoo we saw about five or more families who had adopted transracial. The families looked so happy and the kids looked well adjusted. I did not go up to any of the families to ask questions. I did not want to interfere with their day with their kids. However, it made Mark and I feel better about our situation and it makes us want to wait for how ever long until we get Connor. I know it will happen. I just want it to hurry up and happen. Summer is getting older each day and Connor is out there somewhere waiting for us...

Here are some more pictures at the zoo.



Summer watching the penguins. She really liked to watch them swim. Please do not fall in!!!


The polar bears were cool too. Man they are so big!!!






Waiting on the sea lion show to start. Daddy was telling her all about them. I think?????



Summer is posing for this picture. She is getting ready to go.



We had a great family day at the zoo. I am so happy that we all had fun. We got some ice cream while walking around, we had some lunch, then it was time to go. It was a good day to spend as a family. I am so blessed to have the family that God gave me. I am blessed to have a love in my heart for Connor who is somewhere on the other side of the world being prepared just for our family. I can not wait for the day that I get to see his precious face for the first time. What a blessing that will be!!!!


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Our 10th Anniversary

Mark and I just had our 10th wedding anniversary!!! It was like any other day.. I got up at 3:45am to go to work and load packages on the UPS trucks. I even loaded my own husband's truck. Mark came to work at UPS and drove all day. Then Summer and I swam, played around the house, and even cut the grass. We both were thinking he would be home kind of early so we could spend some time together on our anniversary night... Well, no that did not happen. Mark got home around 9:30.. Summer was asleep on couch while I was asleep on the other couch. So it was just another day. However, we are going to celebrate it on Saturday. We might go out to eat and then Mimi is coming over to spend the night and play with Summer. Normally, we always go back to Pensacola for our anniversary, but this year we decided to stay home and save our money just in case we get "the call" a possible referral. I hope next year we will have a referral or even our little boy here with us. I am praying!!

I can't believe it has been ten years since we walked barefoot on the beach in Pensacola and got married. Mark's dad did the ceremony for us. We only had about nine family members come to watch us get married. It was so a great day. Towards the end of the ceremony it started to rain. Then right after it started to come down so bad that we all got wet!! We all went back to the hotel in the dining room for a small reception. It was great. Then the next day Mark and I flew off to Jamaica for a week. I will never forget our beautiful wedding day and our honeymoon.

I am so blessed to have married this man. He is such a great husband, an amazing daddy to Summer ( and one day to Connor), and my best friend. He is such a great man that loves God. He takes care of us like nobody else could. When I get upset about the adoption or ask how much longer is it going to take he is there for me. He gets upset when I get upset. He hurts when I hurt. He laughs when I laugh. He is always there for me no matter what.

Lately, I have been having to deal with my dad being against us adopting from Ethiopia. He has made it clear that we are messing up as he would say. He was not against us adopting from Taiwan when we first started this journey. The wait was just too long for us to stay with that country so we had to switch to another country and we picked Ethiopia. I don't care what ethnic group our child is from. I will love him just like we do Summer. I want for our family to grow through adoption. So our family might not look like what other families look like, or in that case what my dad thinks it should look like. It is our family and we want it to resemble what heaven is going to look like. With all kinds of people that are different!


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The Roller Coaster Ride

Yesterday I had a conference call with my social worker and another lady from our agency. It was one of the unhappiest day so far. I was so excited before the call thinking that they would tell me it could happen anytime since we our dossier has been DTE four months now. I was hoping that we would be getting a referral soon. It might take up to 4 more months before we get a referral or could take longer. I think it is going to be on the longer side. I guess because nothing has happened as we thought it was going too. Our age range is from 12m-3.5 years old. So if we want a boy who is 2 it could take up to 8 months before referral. However, everything on the profile sheet has what the needs we can meet of that child. So I guess if you want a child kind of healthy you could be waiting a LONG time. It doesn't matter if we have the money in the bank, bedroom done, clothes in the closet, and bags ready to be packed!!! We are ready for a picture of our little boy; so we thought?? Who knows?? We have been going on this roller coaster ride now for two years!!! I just want the ride to stop and to get on another ride. I am stressed out all the time because we think it is about to happen then it doesn't! Just more waiting!!! So I am not going to get my hopes up anymore. I really was going to adopt again after this adoption was finalized, but after all of this- No way!!! I just don't have what it takes to keep my emotions going up and down. Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with us?? Why can't we be the next family to get a referral? I don't know. I guess I just have to keep waiting......

Please keep praying for us to have the strength to keep sitting on this roller coaster because it is starting to freak me out!!!!!


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Home Visit Updated

We had our home visit yesterday with our social worker to update everything. That was FUN!!!

Mark and I asked her tons of questions to when we might get a referral. We are at our fourth month of waiting so it looks good for us. BCSI sent out an email stating that if you are wanting a child between the age of 0-2 it could take up to 6-12 months after your dossier is in Ethiopia. Then if you want a child 2 and up it could take up to 4-8 months after your dossier is in Ethiopia. Our age range is 12-3.5 years old. She said it could happen at any time because we are at our fourth month of waiting. I really hope so. We told her we are SO ready for a picture!!! That would be closure for us knowing that he will soon be our son. I know it will be hard once we see his precious face and have to wait to travel. I think this is the hardest is not knowing when we will get his picture!!!! If I have a picture and get updates I can live with that until we bring him home. It will be a different type of waiting. It will be like a happy wait, because we know he is ours!!!

She loved his bedroom and she said we had everything done. So I hope she can put in a word on our behalf to let the Ethiopian team know that we can and are ready to travel at anytime. I don't know what more we can do?? All we can do now it give it to God and pray everyday that we will soon see our little prince!
Philippians 4:6- " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God."
I am saying this verse everyday to not let me get too worked up over when we are getting Connor, but to pray and give it up to God and be blessed with what we do have. Everything we have is a blessing from God. He is so good!! I know when we get our referral it will be a blessing and it will be GOOD!!!

Please keep praying for us and our family as we wait for our picture of our little guy.
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How Much Longer???

Mark and I have been busy updating all our documents for our home study. Everything has to be updated to send off to the government for our new USCIS appointment. I am so ready for this to be over with.

How much longer???? That is the question of the hour. I wish I knew the answer. I would love to say here is a picture of our little boy whom we are adopting from Ethiopia when people ask. I think it would be a little easier for me to know that we have a referral. We would know his name, age, medical history, and would see his precious face. I would love to know these things. It would make the waiting so much easier. See I have the personality that needs to know when things happen, and I like to be in control over most situations. When it comes to adoptions you can not be in control over anything except getting your paperwork done. I did all that in one week!! So then I have to wait on my social worker to get the home study done. Now we have our Dossier over in Ethiopia waiting for them to match us to a child that is in the orphanage. Still no control!!! Drives me crazy!!!! Mark and I have some money saved for travel, the room done, clothes in his closet and dresser, and some toys. We can not do anything else until we know his age. What else is there to do??? Been reading tons of books. I am SO ready for a picture of our little boy who is already part of our lives!!!

I am hoping and praying that we will have a referral soon!! I have to trust in God with this one and let Him lead us to our little boy. He knows who are son will be. He knows when it will be the right time for him to join our family. He knows when we will be truly ready. God is preparing us while He is preparing Connor. I just have to trust in Him and keep doing what He wants us to do- that is to NOT give up!!!!!!

I have many people in our lives that support us adopting from Ethiopia. Almost everyone that we work with at UPS is supportive. However, I have one person who does not agree with this adoption and that is my dad. The one person that you would want to back you up is family. Well, he has made it clear that he is against it and that will not change. Mark and I have decided that whoever talks negatively about our adoption then they will not be welcomed around our family. I am not going to put up with it when it deals with my kids. Connor is not here yet, but he is part of our family. We all talk about him ( what he might be like, look like, age) We pray for him everyday and for his birth family too. So Connor is part of our family and has a huge place in our hearts!!!!

Tomorrow is Father's Day.. I am so blessed to have the most amazing husband. He is such a great dad to Summer and will be also to Connor!!! I thank God everyday that I married him and for putting him in my life. I am so thankful that he wants to adopt Connor as much as I do!! He can not wait to have a little boy running around the house.

I already have my Princess now just waiting on my little Prince!!


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The Updating Starts....

Mark and I are having to start updating all of our documents for our home study. So we need to get the home study updated, medical exams for all of us, police clearances, evidence of our assets and mortgage. should be FUN!!! This will the third time to do all of this. So I am getting pretty good at it. The first time was for our Dossier to go to Taiwan. The second time us to change countries. Then to send our Dossier to Ethiopia. Now, this time is because our USCIS is going to expire in August. Man, I can not believe it is already that time to ask for an extension. Maybe this will be the last time for us to update things.

Today I took Summer to her physician to get her medical exam done for this home study. she was NOT a happy camper!! She was so scared that she was going to get some shots. She did not get any shots, but they did prick her finger to do a blood test. Not good at all. The nurse gave her sucker while she was about to do it and Summer freaked out!!! Then she let the nurse have her finger all is history. She looks at the nurse while still crying says that is It????? Crazy girl!!!! Here is a pic of her right after the finger prick indecent. Still a little mad at me!! Oh well, she had to get it done..





So one down two more to go. Mark and I have ours Tuesday at 8:30. Then we are going to do the police clearances. Then we should be done until our social worker comes out to the house to do a home study update. I will be so glad once we get a referral!!!! I hope it will not be too much longer... Sigh....

I am doing many things to keep me busy while waiting. The waiting to me is the HARDEST part!!! The not knowing?? When will we be matched to a child?? Where are we at in the orphanage??? How much longer?? I am the type of person that I like to know what is going on. I will do things myself to make sure they get done. While going through an adoption you have to rely on your agency and social worker and even more lean on God. I have done all that I can on my end. I have to leave it up to them and that is so hard to do!!!! So I am staying busy with Summer swimming a lot, working in the yard, and working some more on Connor's room. I am also reading some good books. One book that I am reading is called Forgotten God by Francis Chan. It is talking about how people today forget about the Holy Spirit. Should be a good read....

Summer starts VBS at Hope next week. She is so excited about going this year. I really hope she learns a lot and enjoys herself at the same time. It will help her to not think about the adoption stuff while we are updating things. Sometimes she says are we
STILL getting Connor?? I guess because we have been on this journey for almost two years and still no little brother. It will happen!! I hope soon so we can be a family of FOUR!!!!

Please if you are the praying type put us in your prayers that we will get a referral soon. Please pray for Connor and for his birth family. Please pray that this adoption will motivate others to adopt and that this adoption will be all for God's Glory!!!

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Summer's Srk Graduation

Summer graduated from kindergarten at FACS yesterday. Mark and I both took off work to go to her 9:30 ceremony. Summer had her Mimi, Poppy, Nana, Pockey Dey, Aunt Angie and Kate there to support her. Summer was so happy to see all of them there. The program was really good. They did many songs and then they got their little diplomas. So cute!!

Summer looked so pretty. She was so worried about the outfit that she was wearing under the white robe. She didn't want anything to show through it. So we had to go shopping the day before the ceremony to find something that she liked. Crazy. However, we found something that worked perfectly. I curled her hair up in the back. She looked so pretty with her hair curled up, her purple glasses on and in her white robe with the cute hat. When I first saw her in the line waiting to go into the Chapel I started to cry a little....

Here are a few pictures of Summer's Srk. graduation day












After the graduation was over with Mark and I took Summer out to lunch at the American Cafe. We had so much fun together. I hope we always will even when she get older!!!




I can not believe that she has grown up so fast. It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. Man time flys. I am so happy to have her as my daughter. I am so blessed that she calls me mommy. I will always cherish the sweet moments that we have together. Like after tucking her into bed she will call for me about three times to come back to her room for another good night kiss or a tickle. Sometimes I am tired and I just want her to go to sleep, but I do love it when she wants just one more hug from me and another kiss. Or just sitting on the couch cuddling watching a movie.
I love being with her and most of all I love being her mommy!!!!

Had such a great day with my little graduate!!! Summer you did it!! First grade here I come!!!'

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Mother's Day Weekend

I have had such a busy week I just haven't had time to blog about Mother's Day weekend yet. So here goes. Summer woke me up early to wish me a happy Mother's Day and say, " I am the BEST mommy in the whole world." So sweet!! Summer made me a Mother's Day card by herself. It was so sweet. I just wanted to cry when I saw that she even drew Connor in the picture. She says, " Connor is not here yet, but he will be and he will love having you as his mommy! " So I started to cry again.... Here is a picture of the card.






It was so sweet of her to think of Connor too. I have been thinking of him on this day. I am wondering if he is with his mommy today on this Mother's Day or if he was just put into a place that seems so strange to him. I know wherever he is God is watching over him and taking care of him until he becomes part of our family. I was hoping I would have received a referral by now, but I am willing to wait!!! What a blessing he will be to us.

Mark and Summer bought me a cake that says I Luv Mommy and they drew Connor on it too. Summer was already on the cake. It was really good too.




Then my parents came out to eat lunch with us. It was a good lunch. Here are a few pictures of us while opening presents.

Kathza, Mimi, and Summer







Mark got me a couple of T-shirts from 147 Million Orphans. This is an organization that helps with the orphan crisis in the world. They are founded by two adoptive moms who want to help the orphans in the world. So cool. Check them out: 147millionorphans.com




Summer being funny!!









After opening up gifts Summer started to act up. Got into trouble. They all left and she was crying on the couch and I went outside to cry. The day started out great, then got worse, but the day ended up with us hugging and saying we were sorry. So it was still a good day. Just craziness in the middle!!!

I really don't know where we are at the orphanages. I don't know if we have been looked at yet by the Ethiopian team. I don't know how much longer it is going to be. I don't know when we will get a referral and a picture of our little boy. I do know that we are willing to wait as long as it takes for him to become part of our family. So here we are waiting while spring is gone, Summer is about to graduate from kindergarten in a couple of weeks, and summer time is about to begin..... Another season will be here and gone soon. I am praying by the next season we will have a picture of our little boy.....


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